Presenting Sony’s first Xperia™ tablet [video]

Today we officially unveil the Xperia™ Tablet S, Sony’s second-generation tablet that features a slim, aluminium body, splash-proof design, and a 9.4“ HD display with low-friction coating and OptiContrast™ Panel for minimal reflection, high contrast and a real sense of depth. Inside this Android 4.0.3 (ICS ) tablet, you’ll find an NVIDIA® Tegra™3 1.4 GHz processor with ULP GeForce GPU. The Xperia™ Tablet S also provides a guest mode for versatile use, Small Apps (extended widgets) for easier multi-tasking, and the ability to play games wirelessly using a PS3 Controller. Read on to learn more about the Xperia™ Tablet S.

Xperia™ Tablet S – bringing Xperia™ to the world of tablets for the first timeThe key features of the Xperia™ Tablet S include a distinct “folded” design and splash-proof features. Inside sits an NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor, and runs the Android 4.0.3 operating system. Xperia™ Tablet S also has a built-in remote with time-saving macro programming. And it has a Guest Mode for personalised profiles for family and temporary users. The tablet is PlayStation® certified, ensuring high-quality gaming and access to the PlayStation Store, along with the Sony Entertainment Network.

Xperia™ Tablet S.

Develop your own Small AppsThe Xperia™ Tablet S is the first Sony tablet to introduce Small Apps. With this functionality, you can use specially developed Small Apps, or widgets that you define as Small Apps, to run on top of other applications and add smart solutions for daily routines requiring multi-tasking. An example is the Small App called Mini Remote, which controls the volume with a small remote widget on your tablet when playing music.

If you’re a developer, we will soon release an SDK for Small Apps, so you’ll be able to design your own unique Small Apps for Sony tablets. This way you will get the opportunity to get good exposure to Small Apps users, and you will also have the opportunity to create Small Apps that really extends the idea of what a widget can do. Stay tuned to Developer World for more information about this going forward!

And don’t forget that you can always develop tablet-based Xperia™ games, apps and custom app extensions. For that, a wide range of Sony developer tools are available in conjunction with the Xperia™ Tablet S, such as the SDK for Sony Tablets.

Availability and coloursXperia™ Tablet S will launch initially in European markets from September and then across further global markets. The available colour is silver.

By Ferdinand Abueg

I have an Xperia S, and my mum has already ordered for me the Xperia Tablet S, which I will be getting in the next few weeks. As much as I love to develop an app for my mobile devices, I am not really learned in that department. However, I do have an idea for a brilliant app. Well, actually, it has been used by another manufacturer but I hope that Sony developers do come up with something similar. I was hoping that Sony comes up with an app that would let the Xperia smartphone communicate with the Xperia Tablet S by simply pairing them. By pairing them up, the user will be allowed to do on the tablet what they can do on the smartphone.

The following activities are ideal:
– Since only the WiFi models are out, I hope that there’s an app that can tether Internet connection from the smartphone to the tablet. I know this is already possible since the Xperia S can be a WiFi hotspot, so it can allow the tablet to use up the Internet connection on the phone, but that seems to use an awful bit of power and could take a toll on the smartphone’s battery usage.
– Through some form of connectivity, e.g. Bluetooth, etc., the tablet can receive alerts from the smartphone like text message alerts, email alerts, FB alerts, and then be able to view them on the tablet for a larger view, and then allow capabilities to reply to text messages or accept calls on the tablet acting as a Bluetooth device. This while allowing the smartphone to be at a considereable range from the tablet
– Allow media content to be streamed from the smartphone to the tablet for easier and larger viewing.
– Other functionalities that can tie the Xperia mobile devices into a seamless experience.

I don’t know how to do it in one or many apps, but this is something I wish my Xperias can do in the near future. Here’s hoping to hear from you. I do hope that you did hear it for the Xperia from me first. I love Sony!